Rhino Run on the Barrett Lake Jeep TrailJuly 2007
Barrett Lake Jeep Trail lies in the Sierra Nevada near the famous Rubicon Trail. The Barrett Lake Trailhead is located at Dark Lake just North of Wrights Lake and 8 miles north of Highway 50. The Barrett Lake Jeep Trail is rated by some to be tougher than the Rubicon because there are no bypasses or alternate routes around tougher sections of trail. The trail is a dead-end, so you leave the way you came in and it is about 6 miles long. At the end of the trail, Barrett Lake lies at over 7500 feet in elevation. Although camping is allowed, we just stopped for lunch and headed back out. If you are afraid of a few scratches on your rig or the loud thump that rocks make on your skid plates when your front tires fall off a rock, this type of trail is not for you. Expect to have at least one tire in the air on many occasions. Pictures:
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Barrett Lake Jeep Trail Information: The Barrett Lake Jeep Trail (12N77) is only open for a few months during the late summer and in extremely wet years will not open at all. Call (530) 647-5415 – US Forest Service, Eldorado National Forest for trail status (or check online atEldorado Forest OHV Trail Status). The phone number on the sign at the trailhead is wrong. 530 is the area code. Spark arrestors and valid registration are required on all vehicles. I would also recommend putting your quiet cores in. Camping is allowed at Barrett Lake. Please pack it in and pack it out. The trail lies in an environmentally sensitive area on the border ofDesolation Wilderness. Deviating from the established trail, driving onto Desolation Wilderness land or walking onto Desolation Wilderness without a permit has and will result in forest service fines. Please Tread Lightly so the trail will remain open for future generations.
There is very limited space for parking at the trailhead where there is just a small loop. I would recommend a small trailer or in the back of a truck if you can do it. You can drop your UTV off at the trailhead and park the trailer over near Wrights Lake. It can be a bit of a hassle, but the trail is worth it. Links:
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